2013 Subaru Legacy Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Caution The 2013 Subaru Legacy has 66 NHTSA complaints, a complaint index of 40, and 12 recall campaigns, earning a Caution verdict capped due to the recall count. It ranks 13th worst among 21 model years, with engine problems (35% of complaints) the top concern.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 40/100
- #13 of 21 Legacy years
- Verdict
- Caution
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 66
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 12
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 6
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 5
- Top issue
- Engine
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 24
- 21 city / 28 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 5 / 0
Top 2013 Subaru Legacy problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine23 (35%)
- Airbags14 (21%)
- Transmission & Powertrain12 (18%)
- Electrical System7 (11%)
- Structure & Body7 (11%)
- Brakes5 (8%)
- Other5 (8%)
- Steering4 (6%)
- Seat Belts3 (5%)
- Fuel System1 (2%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Engine stalls during acceleration around 35 mph on hills or level roads, then restarts after losing speed.
- Vehicle unintentionally lurches or lunges forward while parking, sometimes striking a wall or concrete bumper.
- Airbags fail to deploy in frontal or side-impact crashes, including a head-on collision and a guard rail impact.
- Steering wanders left and right or the vehicle swerves unexpectedly at highway speeds around 70-75 mph.
- Driver-side seat belt buckle clicks repeatedly, described as a distracting and ongoing hazard.
2013 Subaru Legacy recalls
12 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 20V001000Jan 2, 2020Airbags258,813 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators with alternate inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-20.
- NHTSA 20V003000Jan 2, 2020Airbags111,562 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-20.
- NHTSA 20V002000Jan 2, 2020Airbags127,547 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-20.
2013 Subaru Legacy fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 21 MPG
- Highway
- 28 MPG
- Combined
- 24 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,700
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2013 compared with other Legacy years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2013 Subaru Legacy reliable?
- NHTSA data shows 66 complaints and a complaint index of 40 for the 2013 Legacy, ranking 13th worst out of 21 model years. It carries a Caution verdict, partly because of 12 recall campaigns.
- What are the most common problems with the 2013 Subaru Legacy?
- Engine issues make up 35% of complaints, followed by airbags at 21% and transmission/powertrain at 18%. The median mileage at failure across the model year is 30,000 miles.
- Does the 2013 Subaru Legacy have airbag recalls?
- Yes. NHTSA lists several recalls covering front passenger air bag inflator replacement, part of campaigns affecting multiple Subaru models including the 2013 Legacy.
- How does the 2013 Legacy compare to other Legacy years?
- With a complaint index of 40, the 2013 model is safer than Avoid-rated years like 2010 (95), 2011 (85), and 2015 (100), but riskier than Best-rated years like 2021 and 2023.